Forgiveness
by cherrycordial
Summary: "My words couldn't have been more sincere, but something about them felt off; I wasn't used to having to apologize to Bella, since we got along so well - we rarely disagreed over anything, but tonight I had a feeling I'd left a temporary to permanent dent in our relationship, depending on if she forgave me or not. I wouldn't - I felt like a terrible traitor." — AU, one-shot. E x B.


**_Author's Note_**

_Hello, everybody! I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. :) This is a little one-shot I found on my computer, and since I thought it was cute, I decided to finish it and share it. It takes place in an alternate universe where Bella is Esme's hybrid daughter; I won't explain how that happened, in case I start writing the other backstory. I'm not sure if I ever will, since I can never start anything these days, so I'll let you come up with your own story. I _might _write the whole story someday. Hopefully. xD_

_Hope you like it! Don't forget to favorite if you do, and maybe leave a review telling me what you think! Would be highly appreciated. :) x_

_- Cherry_

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**_Forgiveness_**

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The night sky was black as pitch, with very few stars dancing through it. The moon was half full, its weak light barely reaching the tops of the trees to illuminate the shadows of the forest. I walked slowly through the ferns, my eyes and ears open as I listened for some sign of Bella. I knew she wasn't at all pleased with me after I'd forgotten—imagine that, a vampire _forgetting_—our plans to see the city lights of Port Angeles earlier this evening. Now in my guilt-ridden state, I couldn't imagine why I had chosen hunting with my brothers over Bella—not that I'd decided intentionally, but no one reminded me and it had completely slipped my mind. I was angry with myself that I had not stopped to think of Bella first, and how she might have felt when I returned home. She'd flown into a fury, of course, and I had done nothing but stand there in penitent silence as she screamed with tears in her eyes.

Esme had told me a thing or two as well after Bella had run out the front door to be alone. My remorse had only increased to its peak as Esme accused me of what I had done—now I wondered what Carlisle was going to say when he came home and the others filled him in. I knew Rosalie, in any chance to bully me, would exaggerate and make it seem like I'd committed a great sin; which, as I thought about it, I most likely had. There really was no excuse for my actions, and no one knew that better than I. I sighed quietly, running a hand through my hair, still following the perfume of Bella's scent through the trees. She smelled wonderful, with just enough of the vampire side to keep her blood from becoming too overwhelming; and besides, she smelled good in a very non-food way. Her aroma had lead across the river, but she wasn't in that broken-down stone cottage to hide like usual. She had always been an adventurous little thing, always willing to explore and discover new things. She had found the cottage with Alice only three months ago, the day after we had moved to Forks; she also liked living here too.

Eventually her scent stopped at the foot of a tree that was taller and wider than most of the others around it, blanketed in damp dark green moss. I peered up through the leafy branches, spotting her in moments. She was very high up, higher than I would have liked, sitting on the widest branch with her arms around her knees. I could smell salt—she was crying still. My frozen heart gave a pang of sadness and I frowned. Her face was hidden behind her long, thick hair, a few of the mahogany strands fluttering in the cold breeze. I hesitated at the base of the tree before speaking, choosing my words carefully. "Bella?" I began. "It's Edward. I would like to apologize, love."

She didn't respond right away. She raised her head a fraction, and through the branches I could see one shimmering chocolate eye peek down at me. She sniffled once, then whispered in a trembling voice, "How could you?" I felt another part of my heart crack, and I sighed and hung my head in shame. Not even I was able to answer her question, and that fueled my guilt. The weaker side of me wanted to drop to my knees and beg for her mercy. But of course I wasn't going to do that—I had to be a man, like Emmett told me. And Bella wasn't the kind who would tolerate begging, anyway, and would be more offended by that than what she was originally upset about.

"I…words aren't enough to express how awful I feel," I told her honestly, staring at the tree trunk. "It was…inexcusable for forgetting our plans, and I am so very sorry. I understand if you are still angry with me. Believe me, I'm angry with myself, and I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you for the rest of my existence." My words couldn't have been more sincere, but something about them felt off; I wasn't used to having to apologize to Bella, since we got along so well—we rarely disagreed over anything, but tonight I had a feeling I'd left a temporary to permanent dent in our relationship, depending on if she forgave me or not. I wouldn't—I felt like a terrible traitor.

Bella was unmoving up in the tree for a long moment, then she released her knees and swung her legs over the side of the branch, preparing to jump down. I held out my arms for her automatically, but she jutted her chin out defiantly and began to sinuously jump down the tree. She settled on the branch over my head, her shapely legs dangling. She crossed her arms across her chest and stared down her thin nose at me with an irritated look on her impossibly beautiful face, tear tracks still visible on her soft pink cheeks, wet diamonds clinging to her thick fringe of black eyelashes. I saw the pain and doubt in her deep brown irises, and my words caught in my throat and refused to come out. We stared at each other for a long moment, until something softened in her expression and she dropped her arms, her small perfect hands folding in her lap. She looked down at them, biting her lip.

"You _promised_," she whispered, and her soft voice cracked slightly. My eyes stung in the strangest way—almost like I wanted to cry, which I probably would have been doing if I were still able. Her heart-shaped face was sad now, and fresh tears were pooling in her eyes. The corners of her full pink lips turned down tightly as she struggled to keep them in; a few escaped, sliding down her cheeks. She swiped them away with the back of her hand.

"You know I would never intentionally forget you, sweetheart," I murmured, reaching for her silky hands. To my surprise she let me take them, holding them gently in mine. "I love you, Bella; you must know that, after the years we've been together, I wouldn't ever hurt you on purpose. But I admit, it was wrong of me to forget, and I can't tell you how terrible I feel right now." I brushed the back of my fingers lightly across her cheek; she shut her eyes and turned her face into my touch. "I'll understand if you don't want to forgive me—I wouldn't blame you, Bella." I tucked a lock of her long hair behind her ear, away from her face so I could see it. She smiled very slightly but it disappeared a moment later as she processed my words. She was quiet, gazing down at our hands with tears still filling up in her eyes. She sniffed as a few of them fell—they were hot on my skin when they dropped there.

"I forgive you," she whispered after a couple long minutes of silence, still looking down. "I accept your apology, too, Edward. And…I could never stay mad at you. I love you too much." She looked up then and smiled softly. The warmth, the pure relief, that filled me was beyond words—the sincerity and forgiveness in her smile was enough to send any man over the moon with joy. "But, can we go to Port Angeles _tomorrow_ night? I still wanna go."

I laughed quietly. "Of course, love. We can still go." I raised her hand to kiss her knuckles, then helped her down from the branch. She wrapped her arms around me and tucked her face into my chest, holding me tightly, and I hugged her back fiercely, breathing in the calming scent of her hair as I moved my hand up and down her back. We stood there for a while in silence; I listened to the steady fluttering of her heart as it beat in her chest. I lifted her gently into my arms, her legs hanging over my right arm with my upper arm to support her head, and she curled into me with a content little sigh as I started back for the house. Bella reached up a hand to stroke my face; I smiled down at her, but her eyes were closed and she seemed to be almost asleep—she must have been checking to make sure I was still here. I kissed her palm before she lowered it to finger a button on my shirt drowsily.

Esme and Alice were waiting up for me, standing on the back porch, equally graceful even in stillness. Alice's hard expression softened when she saw the sleeping girl in my arms, and Esme smiled lovingly at her adopted daughter. I grinned hesitantly as I approached. Esme came down the steps noiselessly, her eyes flickering upward to mine briefly before landing on Bella's face again. She leaned over and pressed her lips to Bella's forehead—I glanced down, and she was smiling slightly in her sleep, her hand resting against my chest. Esme looked at me again, then whispered with a little grin, "I'm assuming she forgave you." I nodded in response, and her thoughts became gentle, content now that she knew Bella was okay. She stood on her toes to kiss my cheek, and she followed me up the porch steps to the back door—Alice was already inside, dancing elegantly towards the wide staircase.

_She just couldn't stay mad at you, could she? _my sister thought as I went up the stairs after her, walking at a human pace for once to prolong the amount of time Bella could stay in my arms; I laughed quietly. I found Alice in Bella's bedroom, nearly done changing the sheets, a blur of spiky black hair and white skin around the queen-sized bed. Bella stirred a bit in my arms, but she merely dropped her hand and sighed softly. I watched her face, immediately drawn into the innocent quality it held as she slept; the way her long lashes cast faint shadows down her rose-pink cheeks; how utterly breathtaking and perfect her features were. As long as I existed, her beauty would never fail to stun me. I felt extremely grateful I had her, this wonderful girl who had grown from a tiny baby to a young woman right before my eyes in a matter of seven short years. But she would live forever, as well.

"Okay, give her to me," Alice instructed quietly, interrupting my train of thought, "and get out." She chimed a little laugh at my disappointed expression. "I know she wouldn't care, but as you are a gentleman, it'd only be the proper thing to leave—ladies need a little privacy as they change, you know." I grinned slightly, and allowed Bella to be taken from me by Alice's thin yet capable arms. With one last look at Bella's sleeping face, I turned and left the room, closing the door silently behind me. I sank down on the floor and stretched my long legs out in front of me with a sigh, closing my eyes and leaning my head against the wall. I listened to her heartbeat, content.

_**Fin**_

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_Did you like it? Leave a review telling me what you thought, if you want. :D Thank you so much for reading! x_

_I also forgot to mention that Edward and Bella are best friends, not exactly love interests, though that could change in the future. I don't know. xD_

_- Cherry_


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